Harmony of Despair

[Rowan Harlow]

Song of the Oppressed​

When Juranno was destroyed in the past, the slums had managed to avoid much of the destruction because they existed in the protected caverns of the mountain beneath the city proper. As the planet began to slowly fall to decadence from the rule of the Sith, the poor and destitute flocked to the empty homes and rebuilt the ramshackle community much to what it had been during the Civil War days. Then the gangs and militia moved in, once again oppressing those that had nothing. They were forced to work for the different groups that made the mountain their home, though the ones who lived among them were the worst offenders. Slavers at best, they pressed the innocent into their service as guards, threatening families and physical well-being alike. Despite all this, though, they were never seen as an actual part of the gang. Perhaps that would be their downfall.

Rowan stood on the roof of one of the patched metal homes just inside the cavern, looking through a pair of binoculars to spy out the true foe. The leader of this gang, an egotistical woman named Suzetta, had an oddly passionate love of the color yellow. She forced the true members of her gang to wear clothing of the most garish yellow possible, something that sent fear into the slaves and oppressed guards and identified comrades alike. This time that color would be their downfall. With the slaves at their control, their forces numbered over a hundred. However, kill the taskmaster and the slaves would flee. All Rowan and his companions would have to do is be exact with their attacks and tactical with their maneuvers. Perhaps they could turn their foes against each other and recruit some allies, if luck were on their side. It was time to get started.

@Nefieslab @christhebarker @Deviant

 

[Eddard Thul Drast]

Time to go to work.

Eddard spared Rowan a glance as he too stood atop one of the rooftops. Dressed in his custom Sith armour and armed with his two sabers and two blaster pistols, he peered down at the streets below, his yellow eyes shining over the top of his specifically craft half mask. He pointed to a guard, not wearing yellow, who separated himself from his group to enter into a small side alley. It was clear that the man was going to relieve himself before returning to his patrol.

"I will have the man bring his superiors to us." he declared firmly, glancing to the others, "Prepare yourselves to spring a trap - careful fire for the slave masters only."

Without another word he took a step forward, dropping like a stone but landing completely silently through the Force. He gathered the Force to him as he stuck to the shadows, keeping himself hidden as he slowly edged into the alleyway behind the lone guard. Waiting until the man had tucked himself away, he acted as the man was turning.

Using the Force he unleashed a targeted dose of pure fear into the man's mind as he grabbed him with both hands, one covering his mouth to prevent him from screaming and the other pinning him harshly to the wall. In the darkness of the alleyway, only the mocking white smile of his half-mask and the sinister glow of his yellow eyes were truly visibly distinct from the shadows of the alleyway.

The man would have pissed himself, had he not already done so.

"Fetch your masters." He rumbled from behind his mask, causing the guard to flinch, "Bring your masters, your mistress and anyone else wearing yellow that you can and you bring them here... I would end them."

He released the man and the guard stared at him, a curious mixture of terror and hope etched onto his face.

"You... you mean to free us?"

Eddard's eyes narrowed and the man flinched away.

"I mean to cleave and cut and slice and pull the very souls of your masters free from their bodies and damn them to hells as yet unknown." he thundered to the man, eyes flashing, "Do not question me - Go!"

The man cowered and ran back to his patrol to get the information to the masters. Eddard himself gathered the Force and returned to the rooftop with a mighty leap.

"They will come."

@Insalius @christhebarker @Deviant

 

[Zarya]

This place was certainly a slum, squalor seemed to be everywhere and the smell of it was an assault on her nose but she needed to remain focused on the task at hand. She too was stood on top of the roof with them, only carrying her saberstaff she preferred freedom of movement though she was known to wear a pair of DG-500 Dueling Gloves when facing opponents with lightsaber outside of that she wore only her usual robes, she trusts her skill with a lightsaber was enough to protect her.

This gang were little more than slavers, some people considered slavery barbaric others praised it, Zarya was undecided on the matter it had its advantages and disadvantages, some that could be negated by strict laws and others not, it was a tool she had no experience so apprehensive to completely throw it away though she kept this to herself, not knowing others disposition on it.

she watched point out the guard below, one of their 'volunteer' guards. he seemed successful in scaring the guard into helping them, though she didn't hear what he had said exactly, the guard scuttered off in the direction of his mistress. "How about we make this interesting ned, this wager extends to you too Rowan, let's see who can take out the most baddies, whoever wins gets free drinks for a night after all this is done?" her and Eddard used to wager on things all time during their time in the academy usually againest one or another thought were exceptions, so she thought she would bring back for all times sakes.

It was a couple of minutes passed before 12 figures clad in yellow entered the dark alleyway below leading the way was the gang leader, Suzette. Zarya quietly moved further down the building, waiting until the centre of the column of stooges was below her, she stepped off the roof landing dead centre of the column, impact the ground with a telekinetic push in all directions. Knocking over 4 of closest gangs members, standing up immediately she pulled her saberstaff from her hip and activating it, the bright crimson blades lighting alleys around her.

@Nefieslab @Insalius @Deviant

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Smiling, Rowan took a place to the side of his companions yet with enough space for them to not get in each other's way. With his left hand he drew his blaster, with his right he ignited his ruby lightsaber. "Well well, that sounds like an appropriate bargain. I'm down. Eddard?" Before waiting for the man to respond he brought up his blaster, turned sideways and leveled at one of the gang members unaffected by Zarya's Force Push. It would be easy to shoot the prone targets, unable to protect themselves, yet that wouldn't have been in good sport to the bet. Besides, leaving the dangerous ones alone would just be stupid. With a smirk he pulled the trigger, aimed exactly where he wanted to fire.

The first man died, the burn of the blaster hitting him right in the throat. The recoil from the shot, something that Rowan knew very well, was easy to calculate quickly with his strategic mind. The muzzle of the blaster jumped to aim perfectly at a second man, another pull of the trigger hitting him in the chest. Again the gun would jump, again with cold calculation, and a pull of the trigger caught a third in the gut. The fourth didn't die, though the hit to his leg was painful enough to drop him in a cry of agony. Now there were just four left unaffected, a chance for Eddard to catch up. Plus Suzette as well. This was going to be a very bad day for the scum.

@Nefieslab @christhebarker

 

[Eddard Thul Drast]

Eddard didn't draw his lightsabers - instead he drew both of his blaster pistols as he waited for the 12 criminals to approach. At the mention of the bet, Eddard regarded both Zarya and Rowan coldly over the edge of his half mask. Right now he was in-character as it were - right now he was a terrifying visage for enemies of the Empire to see, ruthless and dispassionate. And they were asking him to agree to a wager about who would win a night of free drinking?

There was only one real response.

"For when I win? I enjoy whiskey."

Popping up as Zarya used the Force, Eddard levelled his two blaster pistols and aimed carefully for the people that had been knocked down by the Force push. Right now there was the chance that they could get back up - they had only been knocked over after all - and Eddard wasn't in the mood to tolerate that.

With careful aim, Eddard fired twice from each blaster, blowing the brains out of each of the four downed men in turn, terrifying their fellows as Eddard coldly executed the enemies. They were downed but Eddard didn't care about downed - all that Eddard cared about was that they were dead.

Bringing the Force under his control, Eddard lashed out with Force Fear over the remaining men. They all seemed to be slightly effective, hands shaking and aim getting messed up, but it was clear that it wasn't as powerful as it should have been - likely because it was over such a large group of people. It might very well be an advantage but it wasn't a game winning move.

@christhebarker @Insalius

 

[Zarya]

Of course he thinks he'll win, he's always has been proud of his combat abilities, so am I but today I was determined to win. seeing the enemies to her right be lit up in blaster fire she turned her left to deal with those still alive, she first slashed at the two men she knocked over with the force. still dazed from the attack they were easy picking, with a quick, simple slash and stab, the both of them were dead.

She now concerned herself with the other four still standing, they began to fire at Zarya, she assumed a defensive posture and began to deflect the blaster bolts being firing at her. she managed to deflect all the bolts, sending three of them back into the criminals that shot them. "That's five" she shouted with a smirk on her face to the other two on the roof, making them aware of her tally and how far they were behind her.

@Nefieslab @Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Rowan's next shot slew the last of the henchmen, catching the man between the eyes. All that was left was the leader, the carnage having taken her by complete surprise. She looked around at her fallen men, mouth partly agape and hand trembling to reach her blaster. It seemed like without her legions of slave-like meatshields between her and her enemies her bravado disappeared. There was even a look of fear in her eyes, the shaking of her hand being just too precious as she kept missing her blaster. Well, it was time to end this miserable little pile of secrets.

Slipping his blaster into it's holster while drawing his vibrodagger from his sleeve, Rowan used the Force to enhance his speed and rush forward at Suzetta. She managed to grab her blaster just as he struck, driving the dagger deep into her chest as he held her hand down on the holster. She stared at him, blood trailing from her mouth as she clenched in pain. "Your services are no longer required. These people are now MY people, as it always should have been. Die, and wander in oblivion for eternity. Not even the Force wants a cretin such as you." With a cruel smirk Rowan twisted the dagger, causing Suzetta to give out a cry of pain and rage before the life left her eyes. Her death had been painful, as would the deaths of all he would meet this day. With a smirk he looked at Zarya after dropping the body, wiping off his dagger to put back in his sleeve. "It seems we are tied. Perhaps we need to extend the contest to those further up the mountain?" With that he led the way to the next target, knowing the freed peasants would hold this place. They knew who their saviors are, and that was a loyalty stronger now than fear. Though it did have a bit of fear mixed in, for sure.

/Endthread